Indian Fireworks: If They're Not Life Threatening, Then Why Even Bother?

Happy Diwali from Jaipur!

I'm currently in in a guest house in Jaipur, reeling from what's been a very hectic and loud couple of days. I got into Jaipur yesterday morning after spending over nine hours on a bus. I didn't want to attract too much attention, so I sealed off my sleeper comparment (think a bunk bed) and just tried to sleep. But the bus moved around so much that I could barely sleep. I also really did not want to get off to use the bathroom, so I had to pee for about eight hours while going over the occasional bump. I'm very impressed that I did not need to change my jeans at any point. Then at around 7:30am I got into Jaipur. I went to the guest house and passed out for two hours. Then I visited my family.

Visiting my family was tough because I've been living in an NGO and working with people who have basically nothing, but have devoted their lives to others and all my Mummiji wanted to do was complain. I think that I've been one of the only people recently who she's felt comfortable enough with to complain, but it was hard for me to take her seriously when she told me that her husband got her a solid gold ring for her birthday and then proceeded to explain that she had never seen Udaipur because she cannot travel because her husband "has no good job." Then I think about the women who visit the NGO who don't speak any English and are working as midwives and agricultural laborers and were still laughing and joking even though they had been doing backbreaking work since they were walking. But I got over my initial response to my family and had a great Diwali with them today. I'm beginning to crash, so I can't go into a lot of details. But there was a whole bag full of crackers in our house that we went through in about an hour. All of these crackers were being lit in the street as huge fireworks were going off overhead. Prabble (who is nine) was running around with sparkelers at all times.

I also did some shopping for the wedding this weekend and I ended up buying a sari. The price was expensive, but I think that it might be my most favorite outfit ever. I don't want to describe it because I don't think that I could do it justice. Okay, well I'm about to fall asleep on the keyboard and I don't want to do that until I have to when I'm writing papers at Carleton next term. Happy Diwali to all and I hope that one day everyone can experience the sensation of wondering if you're going to get through a festival with all of your limbs.

-Erica